Wozniacki and Kvitova reach New Haven semis

Former winner Caroline Wozniacki and reigning champ Petra Kvitova beat a pair of WTA young guns on Thursday to reach the semis of the New Haven Open, the final tune-up for the US Open.

Four-time winner Wozniacki defeated US wild-card Sloane Stephens 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 in a quarter-final contest at the Yale University hardcourt facility. Former world No. 1 Wozniacki, who is seeded fourth this week, captured the New Haven event four years in a row from 2008 to 2011.

The former Wimbledon champion Kvitova topped Russian Maria Kirilenko in last year’s New Haven final.

Kvitova lost six more points than she won in her rain-delayed match against Pavlyuchenkova, but came back from 40-15 down in the last game to break her opponent’s serve and post the win.

“It’s important to have matches like these where you have to fight until the end where you’re not necessarily playing your best. That’s part of tennis,” Kvitova said. “Of course, I prefer shorter, two-set matches, but I won the last point and that’s the important thing.”

Kvitova is now two wins away from defending a title for the first time.

“I think coming back to a place where you played very well the last year, you have a lot of emotions and you know the pressure is there as defending champion, and you’re defending a lot of points,” Kvitova said. “But on the other hand, you know that you can play well here.”